Transforming Land Use for Protecting and Regenerating Soil in Farmland and Forests

Soil health is confronted with tremendous difficulties at a global level nowadays because of human-induced anthropogenic activities. These issues are significantly increased due to an enormous global population increase. Food scientists thought there would be a 70% increase in food production by 2050 due to an estimated 10 billion human population. Balancing this demand with effective soil management is a critical global issue. There is a need for worldwide attention to improve or restore soil health. Adopting regenerating practices including agroforestry, bioenergy cropping for fossil carbon substitution, coastal wasteland restoration, conservation agriculture, cover cropping and improved crop rotation, grasslands, improved rice cultivation, mixed farming, organic amendments and manure management, peatland restoration and perennial pasture, and permanent crop are the best land use transformation options for protecting and regenerating soil. Although biophysical, environmental, socioeconomic, technological, and societal/regulatory factors are barriers to land use transformation. It is recommended that policymakers should emphasize awareness programs and educating farmers to support sustainable agriculture and forestry practices. Strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, such as farmers, NGOs, and government agencies. Prioritizing research and development is critical for promoting sustainable agriculture and overcoming recognized challenges. By monitoring and analyzing sustainable agricultural practices, policymakers may ensure they are on track to meet their sustainable development goals (SDGs) while supporting adopting sustainable farming practices. This chapter highlighted research findings on soil health management practices worldwide, their importance in sustainable crop production and soil health, and potential impediments to land use transformation and remedies.